Bed-slat



(No Model.)

J. PBTTEB, Jr. BED SLAT.

No. 557,697. I Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPII PETTEE, JR., OF XVHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BED-SLAT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 557,697, dated April7, 1896.

Application filed February 7,1896. Serial NO. 578,3 75. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH PETTEE, Jr., of lVhitma-n, 'in the county ofPlymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bed- Slats, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in bed-slats for springbed-bottoms, so as to readily adjust and extend them, so that they canbe used upon a bed of any width.

My invention consists of a bed-slat formed of two angle-iron sidesconnected by crossbraces and of hangers extending upwa-rd between thevertical portions of the angle-irons which form the sides of thebed-slat, and provided with parallel end portions arranged to lie in theangle of the bed-slats between the horizontal portions of theangle-irons and one or more braces underneath, and also provided withstraight upright portions and ends at right angles therewith, which restupon the side of the bedstead, but without projecting over it so as tobecome visible upon the outside of the bedstead. The two hangers areconnected with each other by a suitable bar or brace at the inner endsthereof, and to the center of this bar or brace is connected a metallicplate having teeth therein so as to form a ratchet. One end of thisratchet moves readily in a slot cut in said brace upon a rod attached tothe brace on each side of the slot. This ratchet is placed in a slot ina brace placed a little distance to the rear of the inner end of thehangers.

In the drawings, in Figure l I have shown a perspective view of myimproved bed-slat; in Fig. 2, a sectional view on the line a: w, Fig. 1.

a co are the sides of the bed-slat proper, fornied of two angle-ironstrips.

b b are the two hangers, having ends b' b' bearing upon the side of thebedstead and inner ends passing between the horizontal portions of theangle-irons a a and the braces c c.

(Z is a brace connecting the inner ends of the hangers.

e is a brace or bar having a slot e' therein.

f is a rod, each end of which is secured to each side of the slot, andwhich passes through one end of the ratchet g, so that the ratchet mayreadily be turned upon it. The other end of the ratchet g is placed inthe slot h' in the brace h.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The ratchet, whichordinarily is kept by gravity in the slot h', holds the hangers securelyagainst all inward motion. When it is desired to push out the hangers,so as to adj ust the bed or increase its width,the ratchet is lifted,and by means of it the hangers are pushed forward the desired distance.The ratchet is then released, falls into its place in the slot, andholds the slats securely iu the desired place.

By the use of my invention not only may the bed be readily adj usted,but the unsightly appearance which results from hooks projecting overthe side of the bed is avoided, as the ratchet serves to hold the slatsfirmly in place without the use of hooks.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A slat for beds formed of two angle-iron strips, each being a horizontaland a Vertical Web, and provided with cross-braces placed a shortdistance below the horizontal webs; hangers having inner end portionslying in the space between the cross-braces and the horizontal webs, soas to permit the hangers to be moved forward and backward, with outerend portions adapted to lie over the top of the side of the bedstead anda ratchet connected with the rear portion of a brace uniting said twohangers, and placed in a slot in a suitable brace, attached to the twoangle-iron strips, substantially as, and for the purpose abovedescribed.

JOSEPH PETTEE, JR.

lVitnesses HARRY N. KEITH, vA. AUGUsrA BARTLETT.

